Inopinatum Rerum
by panda-jess
Summary: Charles Jones had been quite content reading his book. Charles Jones had been sure it was all a prank. Charles Jones had though Edmund had been kidding. When Edmund and his friend get pulled back into Narnia again nothing seems quite right - Fell creatures are becoming active, Caspian is at a loss for what to do and strange things are happening. Post-VODT, Pre-SC.
1. The Lantern In The Woods

Charles Jones opened his eyes to look at the trees stretching high above him.

Except that couldn't be right. Charles had not gone to sleep in a forest, nor was he anywhere near a forest. No, Charles had been at the library.

Slowly, he sat up and saw that he was in a small clearing, with thick grass and bright daisy's popping out of the moist soil. The air was clear and light in his lungs and Charles could see the slowly waking sun was bleeding pink into the sky. Birds whistled faintly in the distance, and whilst Charles was bothered that he most certainty didn't know where he was, he was more bothered about the lamp post in front of him. It wasn't that he hadn't seen a lamp post before, there was plenty in London, it was that this lamp post appeared to be growing roots.

Charles wasn't sure what to make of it. Charles wasn't sure what to make of anything. Charles had rather been enjoying his book on American history. He supposed that it was his friends idea of a prank, knock him out and drop him off somewhere strange. Charles would admit that _maybe_ he took his April fools' joke a little too far, but really, was this necessary?

So Charles did what any logical boy would do; he stood up and began walking, carefully counting his steps so that he knew how far away he was. He had only been up to two hundred and sixty five when he heard a noise. Peering through the thick branches he saw a hunched man with a blanket over himself. He was talking to some more people with blankets - no cloaks - on.

He stepped further forward and tried to make out what they were saying with their low, raspy voices. Deciding that he ought to just ask for directions back to home he stepped forward when the man turned his head.

Charles had seen some _odd_ things so far, but this was by far the strangest. The man wasn't a man. The man wasn't quite anything that Charles had ever seen before, it was inhuman, and yet it seemed oddly familiar. Charles made a mental note to tell his friends that _this_ was not a funny prank, but he couldn't help but think that the costume, for it only could be a costume, was rather well done.

Charles made to move out once again and speak to these costumed men when he felt a rough hand clamp over his mouth and hold it shut tight. Panic rose through Charles as his hand went to pull at the one covering his mouth, his head reclined to meet the dark eyes of his friend Edmund and waves of relief washed over him. Edmund carefully put a finger to his lip and made a 'shushing' motion before releasing Charles and walking forward, towards the not-quite-human-man.

Unsure of what to do, Charles shadowed Edmund, being careful to imitate Edmund's precise and practised treading over the tree roots and crouched low behind some branches. The men were speaking in their harsh voices, almost in another language. Some words pierced Charles' brain as familiar but they were disjointed and he could make no sense of the situation. This was certainly the most elaborate prank Charles had ever seen.

It was apparent that they were fighting over something - though what Charles wasn't sure. One reached to grab something out of another's hand and for a moment there was a struggle. It didn't last long before a hooded figure approached and snatched it out of their hands, revealing a short stick.

At this point Charles heard Edmund utter a rather unkind word that up until now, he had not known Edmund had known. Clearly, this was not actually apart of the prank, despite the costumes. The men made some more harsh sounds before walking away, and following them was another thirty creatures, all hooded but not all the same, and most assuredly not human. Charles wasn't sure what to make of this, but Edmund appeared to be unsettled by it.

When they were well out of sight Edmund stood and motioned for Charles to follow him, silencing him with a look when Charles made to call him out on his prank. Edmund lead him back to the odd lamp post, where Charles noticed there was an addition to the oddity of the clearing - a dead rabbit.

Charles made to announce his knowledge of the prank once again but Edmund gave him another look and moved to the trees, pressing his ear against them and listening hard. Now Charles had known Edmund for quite some time, since they were about twelve and Edmund had laughed at a rather unfunny joke Charles had made, but Charles had never known that Edmund displayed such interest in trees until now. It appeared that Charles was learning quite a lot about Edmund today.

When Edmund was apparently satisfied he set about making a fire.

"So where are we?" Charles asked, impatient and overly frustrated with Edmund's silencing looks, but deciding to play along with his not-so-funny joke.

"The Lantern Waste. Unless the Lamp Post decided that after several millennia it ought to grow more of itself, in that case I wouldn't have a clue." Edmund replied rather shortly, his sarcasm lost on Charles.

"Your not being funny you know. Is this your idea of revenge for the April Fools' joke?" Charles said loudly, hoping that their friends would pop out from the other side of the trees and laugh at him.

Now done with the fire Edmund turned to look at him making an apologetic expression.

"Look, we're not in London, we're in Narnia, now keep your voice down unless you want _them_ to come back."

"Narni-what?" Charles made an impatient noise. Edmund wasn't one for dancing around the topic, nor was he one to deny the truth. He was blunt and straight to the point, which could only mean that Edmund was trying to avoid telling him something, very badly in a completely unlike Edmund way. Charles had no doubt that Edmund was, very badly, trying to get revenge on his prank.

Edmund's cheeks reddened a little.

"I'm not very good at this - Lucy is much better at it."

"Your sister?" Charles asked, now wondering what the barely fifteen year old had to do with it.

"Yeah. She's the one who found it first, you see, Narnia isn't in _our_ world, it's in an entirely separate world."

"Oh I see, so we were in the library, and then somehow, we ended up in the middle of the woods in a completely different world. It all makes sense now." Charles spoke louder again.

Edmund appeared distracted, looking at the tree's and eyeing the now bright sky, "exactly," he responded, without thought. "Good to see you taking it so well - now keep your voice down and we'll make it through today alive."

Charles couldn't contain it anymore and laughed, hard. "The joke's over, where are the rest of the boys? Are they in on it too? I bet you got the who school in on it."

Edmund's facial expression did not change. He was serious. Charles didn't understand. Moments passed between them as Charles searched Edmund's features. They boy was a great liar, but Charles knew the signs of an Edmund lie and there were no signs to be found. This was no prank.

"Your serious?" He whispered.

"Yes."

"So Nanania-"

"Narnia." Edmund corrected

"Isn't England, or Earth?"

"No, completely different. Think 1300's England but with magic."

"Magic?" Charles choked.

"Good and bad kinds of course."

Edmund picked up the rabbit and pulled a knife out of his pocket and began preparing it to be roasted, leaving Charles to his thoughts.

Charles was, to be frank, struggling. It just simply wasn't possible. Yet, he knew that it was true. Questions were burning through Charles' eating him up, and he yearned to know more.

Time passed quickly in Charles' preoccupied mind and soon Edmund had cut off some rabbit and handed it to him.

"Not my best work, but it will do for now - at least until we find some actually Narnians." Edmund said before talking brisk bites into the rabbit.

Charles thought back to those hooded men - or at least what he had thought were hooded men.

"You mean, those creatures with the cloaks weren't Narnia." Charles asked, still half-hoping that it _was_ a joke.

Edmund looked startled, "goodness no. They're fell creatures - not Narnia, although they like to think that they are the true Narnians. Believe me, if they saw us you'd be dead and I would be exactly where I was some thirteen hundred and something years ago. If they're this far into the wood then that isn't good news for Narnia. Not that I expected to hear news of Narnia again." Edmund babbled - clearly unnerved. Edmund was being very un-Edmund.

But Charles was too busy choking on the thirteen hundred years comment to notice his friend's disposition. Edmund took that as an invitation to continue.

"You see, when you get too old you have to leave, and you have no hope of returning. So when I walked through that wave at the end of the world I was expecting to never see or hear from Narnia again." It really was unlike Edmund to babble, even when he was nervous or worried.

"Thirteen hundred?" Charles repeated.

"Hmm? Oh yes, at least roughly. Time flows differently between worlds you see. So whilst only a year passed for me, thirteen hundred passed for Narnia." Edmund furrowed his brow, as if he was thinking about a problem that could not be solved, "never is consistent though."

"So what do we do?" Charles asked the question that had been pressing on him.

"We? We do nothing, you happened to be with me when I got pulled in. I'll set about fixing things, once I get you to safety. It's all a mistake - I'm not meant to be here, and neither are you. I'm not even sure if it was Aslan that did it, he was the one to say that I wouldn't be back after all."

"Aslan?" Charles asked, growing more and more confused as it became apparent that Edmund was more thinking out loud. Charles couldn't follow one word to the next at this point.

Something snapped inside Edmund when he heard Charles' question, and he seemed suddenly confident and energetic, as if he had half a mind to go a confront those _fell_ creatures. Edmund's babbly conversation stopped and Edmund became a great deal more like Edmund.

"Look, Charles - until I know the situation better you're on a need to know basis, we can't risk being overheard. You never know with these trees. I love them with all my heart, but they aren't safe to talk around, so I can't risk telling you much."

"The trees?" Charles repeated back, thinking back to Edmund's odd tree-hugging.

"They were spies in the hundred year winter," Edmund hastily continued at Charles' expression, "that doesn't matter right now though. We need to hurry up, find a town and find the King, assuming there is one. If we move quickly we could be at the Telmarine Castle within three days."

Edmund jumped up and stomped out the coals from the dying fire, hoisting Charles up with his rabbit sticky hands.

"We're walking for three days!" Charles protested slightly, still unsure what to make of all this.

"At least it's spring." Edmund chirped back, as he began walking through the trees, unworried and guided by his instincts.

Charles had no choice but to follow him, feeling quite uneasy and wishing dreadfully that he could be reading his book back at the library.


	2. The Jail Cell

Charles wasn't quite sure how they had ended up here, but he certainly didn't like it.

Edmund was sat with his back against a hard stone wall, watching through the thick bars of the cell at the flickering torch. He was miserable, and Charles couldn't help but feel the same. He didn't understand what had happened. Three days ago they had been making good progress on their walk and Charles was finally coming around to the idea of being in a completely different world - not that he knew much about it, Edmund refused to tell him anything in case they were overheard - he was very concerned about that.

Charles supposed that it had started the day before yesterday, when they finally made it out of the woods and into a small village. He had been shocked to learn that the village consisted of mostly talking animals and _mythological creatures._ Edmund went straight up to them and inquired as to the direction of the castle where the King resided./p  
"Charles had been confused by this, Edmund had already told him where the castle was, but Edmund had cleared Charles confusion, telling him that he wasn't sure who the King was, and that they had to be very careful to not make their situation known. It was too dangerous for people to know who they were with Fell creatures about. In the few brief moments where Edmund had deemed it safe enough to tell Charles about the strange world they were now in Charles had learnt how dangerous Fell creatures were, and though Edmund wouldn't tell him, Charles knew that Edmund spoke from experience.

The centaur that Edmund had gone up to had not been welcoming or even friendly (they hardly ever are, Edmund had added) but even Edmund had felt the coldness in the stare at the question. The centaur was highly suspicious and had wanted to know a lot of things before conceding and telling them that King Caspian X lived two days east. Edmund had made them spend time walking silently around the village, listening to people's conversations to learn more about what kind of Narnia they had come to.

Several hours later a frustrated Edmund had lead Charles on eastward, disgruntled that the whole village was apparently very private and did not like to talk about important, or rather things Edmund wanted to know, out in the open. There were less woods now, and a road to walk, though Edmund made them walk off it so as to avoid people. Edmund was very concerned about that. So they spent two more days in the woods, eating whatever dumb animal Edmund could catch and whatever berries that he could take.

By the time they reached the outskirts of Beaversdam Charles had been hungry, Edmund was less so but even Charles could tell that he was lagging. When Charles had complained Edmund had told him he once ate only apples for almost a week and that once they saw the King they would have all kinds of pastries and cakes, meats and fruits.

Charles was also sore from sleeping on the ground, to which when he complained Edmund told him that he had once slept in a dungeon made of ice and that once they saw the King they would have the finest beds that Narnia had to offer.

When Charles had complained about his shoes and clothes being dirty and that he hadn't had a bath in three days Edmund had told him that he often spent weeks at a time in the same clothes and without a bath, for there was no time for that in war and promised that once they saw the King they would be dressed in the finest clothes and have many hot baths filled with all kinds of flowers and soaps.

Needless to say, Charles was very excited to finally reach the King, but so far, Edmund had not lived up to his promises, and neither had the so-called King.

During their time from the little village to Beaversdam they had encountered very few people, even if they weren't walking the road. To this, Edmund had nothing to say, though Charles was sure it was part of the reason for his now ever-present frown. When they reached the grassy hills just behind the castle there was no one in sight - to this Edmund had expressed his worry and confusion. They trudged on, but Charles had noticed that Edmund now held his little pocket knife in his hand.

They weren't far from the castle at all when the voice of a man had called them to halt. Edmund had turned around to face the men who were standing quote a distance away from them and demanded to be taken to the King. The men had ignored Edmund and asked them what they were doing trespassing. Edmund had looked like he wanted to debate the trespassing term, but once again demanded to see King Caspian. Charles could tell that finally, after all the many days of travel Edmund's calmness was beginning to give way to frustration. The men simply ignored Edmund and began to advance upon them, swords drawn.

"My name is Edmund, and this is my friend Charles. We are not trespassing, nor will we harm Narnia, we wish only to see the man I would call my brother."

The men had scoffed and Edmund had turned slightly red at this. Charles was too confused to really understand, he just let Edmund do the talking and watched the men's very long and pointy swords closely, they were far larger than any sword he'd ever seen.

They had told Edmund that his story wasn't at all original and that he was a silly little boy.

Edmund hadn't liked that and Charles could feel him tensing, trying to remain calm just as he had done through the long trek to the castle.  
Edmund had stepped forward, right up to the men and lent right into them, he was not at all afraid like Charles was. Edmund carefully pushed aside their swords as he lent so far in that he was well out of Charles' earshot. If Charles could hear what Edmund was saying he would have heard him look them right in the eye and whisper threateningly "tell Caspian that King Edmund, brother to the High King of all Kings, wishes to see him."

The men didn't take kindly to that and promptly arrested a now-kicking Edmund and terrified Charles for trespassing and disrespecting the King, throwing them into this dark cell.  
That had been yesterday, they had spent the night in silence, sleeping on a bundle of blankets on the floor - or at least Charles did, Edmund had not slept at all, and instead taken to eyeing their fellow prisoners and Charles had been under the correct assumption that Edmund did not want to talk.

"They were given slightly mouldy bread and cold stew for breakfast where Edmund broke their silence.

"Sorry for acting like such a beast yesterday to those guards, I should have known better." Edmund said softly, mopping his stew up with his bread.

"I though you said the King would want to see us," Charles said back, trying to imagine the bread as the pastries Edmund had promised.

"He does - believe me, he just has taken security to a new level, that's all," Edmund tried not to sound upset.

"Can you tell me about those creatures now?" Charles asked, his mind burning with the images he had seen days before.

"Not yet. Soon, we'll tell Caspian about it and then I'll arrange for you to be taken back through the Lantern Waste and home," Edmund tried to sound optomistic for Charles.

"What? You aren't coming back with me?" Charles was shocked.

"I will - but I need to help Narnia whilst I'm here, regardless of how it is that I came to be here. I can't have you wondering around Narnia with such creatures running amok, especially without Aslan's blessing. Still - we ought to set things right shouldn't we?"

"Charles stayed silent. He would have asked who Aslan was but he already knew what the response would be. Just days ago he'd been reading in the library and now he was in jail, eating mouldy bread. Charles had his doubts that they would meet this King. Charles was also doubting Edmund's promise of good food, beds and clothes.

"Edmund placed their bowls outside the cells ("It always frustrated the guards having to go inside the cells just to get the dishes") and sat back down, eyeing the prisoners once again and ending any conversation Charles tried to start, protesting saying that he was thinking and Charles was interrupting.

Charles spent some time counting the number of stones in the cell, and then the bars, trying to entertain himself whilst Edmund resumed his previous watch of the fellow prisoners. Charles gave up entertaining himself and looked around at the prisoners for the first time, they didn't look all that dangerous but Edmund held them in discontent. There was a faun next to them on one side, hiding in the corner and a dwarf with thick black hair on the other side. The rest of the prisoners were humans, but Charles noticed that Edmund paid no attention to the humans, just the faun and dwarf, watching their every movement.

"The dwarf next to them clumsily got up from his bed, approaching Charles at the bars that separated them, and asked what they were doing here.

"Don't talk to him Charles." Edmund spoke for the first time since breakfast, shooting the dwarf a warning look.

"Charles looked sulkily at Edmund, he was starting to get on his nerves.

"Whatcha do? Try and kill the King?" The dwarf jested, smiling widely giving Charles a view of his black rotting teeth.

"No we're here to see him." Charles said confidently, glad to finally have some form of entertainment. If Edmund wasn't going to talk to him and pass the time, Charles thought he might as well become acquainted with his fellow prisoners.

"Charles, get away from him. You don't know why he is here, and he doesn't need to know why we're here." Edmund protested, dragging himself off the floor and walking over to Charles and the dwarf.

"The dwarf let out a laugh, "what, you think I'm the one who tried to kill the King?" Edmund froze, his hand on Charles' arm.

"Caspian," Edmund breathed, releasing his grip on Charles and turning to the dwarf, "well is he alright?!" Edmund demanded.

"The dwarf only laughed wickedly again. Edmund glared at him, a glare that made Charles want to confess his deepest truths and the dwarf stopped smiling.

"How'd'ya expect me to know?" He said, watching Edmund closely.

"Edmund's jaw clicked, and the momentary panic that had held Edmund was gone.

"You're right, nothing you say can be trusted," Edmund gripped Charles again, and pulled him away to the back where he had been sitting.

"I didn't kill anyone if that's what ya think," Edmund sent another disgusted look over at him.

"Why are you here then?" Charles asked, ignoring Edmund's glare.

"I know what kind of people are put in these cells, most of these people will be facing execution or exile, don't talk to them. Trust me," Edmund said to Charles as he pulled him back down to the ground.

"Thievery. I was caught selling things from Cair Pavavel," he sighed, unaware or ignoring Edmund's comment, "the gold chess pieces would have sold for a pretty Lion too, even had the Just King's initials on it."

"Edmund stiffened and Charles looked over to see him trying desperately to keep his calm.

"The dwarf smiled at Edmund in the dim light and Charles began to suspect that Edmund was right about these prisoners in the first place.

"Black dwarf, black of heart!" The faun behind us yelled out, but no one else seemed to care.

"Why, the King had the same thoughts," the dwarf laughed, "said I was dishonouring my Kings and Queens, my country. Told him straight, told him that I wasn't gonna bend the knee to the people who imprisoned the rightful Queen."

"Why you evil, little -" Edmund yelled, throwing himself across the room and shoving the bars to his face, "how dare you," Edmund yelled as he desperately tried to punch the small man through the bars.

"Charles was alarmed at Edmund's reaction but jumped up and pulled him back to the bed.

"Edmund and the faun began yelling "traitor" as the door above them flung open and footsteps ran down the stairs, yelling at them to stop.

"The dwarf smiled again, thinking it was funny that Edmund was so angered.

"You and the King would be great friends, he thought I was a traitor too," The dwarf remarked calmly as a group of humans and animals opened Edmund and Charles' cell door.  
"Bejmar! Shut it! You too Felmar!" A large grey wolf snapped at the dwarf and Faun.

"Come on boys, it's time for your interview anyway," with a last warning to Bejmar the wolf lead them out of the jail and into a well furnished room that lacked any windows, so it gave the boys the impression that they were still in the jails.

"Edmund and Charles sat down in plush chairs as ropes were tied to them, as the wolf began rattling off their crimes.

"I've seen many of you imposter children, but you are the most committed yet." The wolf, whose name was Gurdin said, nodding to Edmund.

"I am no imposter cousin, and I would greatly desire to see the man whom I would call a brother, the man I sailed to the ends of the earth with and the man I would call my King. I demand, on the name of Aslan, that you release me and my friend at once. That's an order," Edmund said, there was no demanding or anger as there had been with the guards yesterday. Charles supposed all that thinking Edmund had done in the cell had been good because he was now calm and cooperative. The same could not be said of Charles, who could see the large teeth when Gurdin spoke.

"Gurdin sighed low, turning to a human guard in the room, "they all make the same mistake," the guard chuckled in response, apparently in on some joke.

"If you were going to impersonate someone, perhaps the Lord Eustace would be a better option. Aslan did say he would return," The wolf said kindly, Charles supposed that he took them for fools and was pitying them.

"Charles choked, laughing, he had met Edmund's cousin - briefly, and he had hoped he would never again have to experience that.

"Your cousin's a lord?" Charles laughed, turning to Edmund, who smiled.

"I didn't know, but then, Caspian is just the sort of chap to do that - I do believe he grew fond of him after some time," Edmund smiled.

"King Caspian." The wolf growled. It seemed to Charles, that they were all very touchy about who was and wasn't King.

"And a good King at that, Captain Gurdin, but I believe you will find that Caspian and I both have a limit to our patience," Edmund said, in a way that was somehow both threatening and kind.

"Quite right, son of Adam, and the King's patience has worn far too thin for those who think this ploy is acceptable," The wolf echoed Edmund's manner, but it did not have the same effect.

"It seemed to Charles that everyone was being far too political, never saying what they were really meant and that it would continue on and on, to no end.

"I believe Cas- King Caspian's patience would disappear completely if he were to discover that I had not enjoyed his hospitality last night. He is quite insistent on it, after all."

The wolf said nothing to this.

"Edmund, just tell them would you and then we can leave. I don't care about the food anymore!" Charles wanted nothing more than to be home now and if Edmund only wanted to tell them what they had seen and leave then Charles would be quite happy to do so.

Edmund sent Charles a stern look.

"Tell us what?" The wolf said, his ears heightening up as he sniffed Charles.

"Things that are not for your ears, cousin," Edmund sent another stern look to Charles. "Caspian gets to decide what he wishes to do with our information."

"The guard at the door corrected Edmund softly, "King Caspian."

"You type always make the same mistakes, the language, the emcousins, /embut you, you have got it right," Gurdin remarked to Edmund.

"That is because there is no mistake, cousin, I tell no lies," Edmund snipped back.

"But you, child are claiming sovereignty over King Caspian - so you are lying because Aslan has sent his servants home and bestowed the crown upon King Caspian."

"Caspian is the reigning King of Narnia, not me, I do no wish to pull rank nor claim thrones," Edmund looked tired, as if he had said this several times before and Charles felt very much as if he had missed something important. Charles couldn't recall Edmund doing anything but asking to see his friend, how happened to be the King and now everyone was accusing him of claiming that the King wasn't the King.

"Why, you are right, child, you are not King, you are not King of anything, and now that you have admitted to that we may proceed with your arrests." The wolf looked, as strange as it was, smug.

"Edmund!" Charles protested, not wanting to return to the cell.

"Don't worry Charles, they can't arrest us. They have no grounds, and at any rate I have immunity," Edmund whispered.

"They don't think that!" Charles once again protested, as the wolf looked at some papers.

"Disrespecting the King. It's hardly punishable, but given the circumstances I don't believe the Lord Reagent will object to making it an offence." The wolf thought aloud.

"Edmund scoffed, and Charles looked at him with alarm, fearing more trouble. The wolf growled.

"Why! Trumpkin, dear as he is to me, is the least respectful person I have ever met. The dwarf doesn't even know the difference between a Lord and Duke. Does he even know his own title?" Edmund laughed at the idea of the Trumpkin condemning someone for not giving Caspian the proper title and respect.

"We'll see." The wolf said grimly, knowing Edmund to be right.

"Why, can't we talk to the Trumpkin bloke?" Charles reasoned, but the wolf growled once more.

"Trespassing. During security lock down too. That's worth three months of ship cleaning duties." The wolf said, confident this time.

"Cousin, one simply cannot trespass upon one's own land," Edmund objected.

The wolf looked like he wanted too would like to object, but Edmund spoke first.

"If you have an issue, you best make your complaints known to Aslan," Edmund continued, "with no charges to hold us, we'll be taking our leave once you untie us. Thank you."

The guard only laughed.

"You are not free to go. You will stay and answer to your crimes," The wolf said sternly.

"As will you," Edmund looked cold and Charles could tell that he was nearing the end of his patience.

"There is no crime in holding criminals!" The wolf was growling now, his hair standing on edge.

"But there is in refusing to follow _your King's_ orders! Your king by Aslan's own command. That's treason, wolf. It's you last chance, release me and take me to see Caspian." Edmund shouted loudly.

Charles stared at Edmund. Things began to make some sense, the confidence, the sneaking through the woods, the anger at being treated like a criminal, the small remarks, the outrage of the wolf. Caspian wasn't the King, it was Edmund. Edmund had no eyes' for Charles' goldfishing mouth, staring down at the wolf as much as one could when tied to a chair.

"You are no King of mine," The wolf spat back.

"Be careful wolf, one might mistake you for being sympathetic to the Fell and their mistress," Edmund snarled.

"The wolf growled again, snapping his jaws, getting right up to Edmund's face.

"Just tell them Edmund! Tell them what we need to and we can leave!" Charles yelled, ignoring momentarily the new piece of information, there would be time for that later and Charles wasn't willing to chance their freedom and Edmund's claim.

"That story is for Caspian's ears only, we will not undermine him," Edmund warned Charles, ignoring the hot breath of wolf on his face.

"Sir," The guard warned Gurdin, whose paws now sat on Edmund's chest.

Gurdin backed off and sat on his haunches, staring at Edmund. Charles did not know how long they sat in silence, but with every passing moment Edmund's stare became more confident and he himself seemed to grow larger whilst the wolf seemed to grow smaller. It was as if time was stopped, it would not move as Edmund began to dominant the room using just his presence.

The door slammed open with a bang, smashing hard against the stone walls.

"GURDIN! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU TO BE AN HOUR LATE TO THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING YOU WILL EVER HAVE!" A short, red bearded man entered the room, his face pinched with anger.

Edmund snapped his head around, "Trumpkin!"

"Candles and cookies! Edmund!" The dwarf shouted in shock, his head whipping around the room trying to make sense of it.

"Gurdin! You've had the King in here, this whole time. He should have been brought to me. Your older boy," he nodded his head in approval, "now this is what I expected."

"Just cut me and Charles out Trumpkin, we have news you would want to here." Edmund ignored Trumpkin's comments and struggled against the ropes.

"Out! And not a word!" Trumpkin snapped at the guard, who exited immediately, closing the door softly behind him. Trumpkin worked to have the boys cut out of their ropes. Charles rubbed the chaffed areas, grateful that at last it seemed he would have answers as he rearranged himself into a more comfortable position on the chair.

"What's the meaning of this Gurdin?" Trumpkin asked of the wolf.

"Sorry my lord, they were caught trespassing. I had no idea," The wolf was trembling ever so slightly, his ears pressed hard against his head.

"He's the King!" Trumpkin once again shouted at Gurdin. "You have quite the record of forgetting whose King and who isn't lately!"

"The wolf fell to the floor, pressing himself flat, his nose on Edmund's worn boots.

"Forgive me, my King."

"Edmund looked to Trumpkin for what seemed to be permission, but the dwarf would not look at him, he was eyeing Charles dangerously. Edmund sighed.

"All is well cousin, I suspect you have duties to attend to." Edmund dismissed him.

"The wolf understood clearly and ran out of the room, his tail between his legs as Edmund made a mental note to investigate him - prisoners still had rights, even if they were mostly monsters.

"And who are you?" The dwarf said threateningly to Charles.

Charles tried to stammer out words, but Edmund cut in.

"He's my friend. Look, we all need to go find Caspian. The Fell creatures are gathering in the Lantern Waste."

Charles found himself pushed out of the conversation again, having no idea what to say or do.

"We know, why do you think we're on lock down?" Trumpkin said, looking through the papers on Gurdin's desk. "After the assassination attempt Caspian - bless him - has gone to Aslan's How to pray at the stone table for guidance. Guess it worked."

"Except it didn't. Aslan didn't send us."

"Who's Aslan?" Charles asked, recalling that he had heard the name several times through his travels.

Edmund laughed, "you ought to ask Trumpkin that."

"Has your sister wiped that smug look off her face yet?" Trumpkin shot back, smiling slightly.

"Charles made an impatient noise and after a few looks between them Trumpkin spoke.

"He's a lion. The son of the Emperor over The Sea. He created Narnia, he created magic and he created each of us -" "and died for each of us" "yes, and when the time is right we will die for him and join him in his Country."

"If he's dead then how is he alive?" Charles asked, confused, this lion seemed to not make sense.

"The old magic, it's a long story." Edmund said

"You'll understand in time." Trumpkin said knowingly.

"Aslan must have sent you two - there is no other way." Trumpkin insisted, returning to the topic at hand as he found the papers he had been looking for.

"What of the first Telmarines?" Edmund objected.

"A gateway, made by Aslan. It's all Aslan. Every Son of Adam and Daughter of Eve has been sent by Aslan in some way." Trumpkin again insisted, though Charles thought he sounded like he was in denial.

"That's simply not true! What of Lord Diggory and Lady Polly? They had magic rings."

"At the beginning of time, and after they traveled through the Woods between the Worlds. Seen any woods that let you travel to different worlds lately? I hear it's got the cheapest travel costs around."

"Charles thought that he had seen an awful lot of woods recently, but he could tell from Edmund's face that those woods were not the ones they were talking of.

"It felt different, wrong." Edmund insisted, halfheartedly.

"Of course it felt wrong, you travelled worlds," Trumpkin snorted and Charles quite agreed.

"Oh bother it all, you know what I mean Trumpkin. Between Aslan saying that I would never again return and the wrongness of it all I know it wasn't Aslan."

"He changed his mind then," Trumpkin argued again.

"Aslan doesn't change His mind," Edmund said again.

"Well how did you get here? Suddenly felt like you could travel worlds with that excellent singing voice of yours?" Trumpkin said sarcastically.

"The white witch?" Edmund proposed.

"Don't say that name boy." Trumpkin warned. The room tensed and Charles was suddenly under the opinion that Edmund was right about Trumpkin not caring for titles and what they meant.

"So it could be her?" Edmund smiled slyly as if he had one some impossible guessing game.

"Who?" Charles asked.

"Possibly, we'll see what Caspian says." Trumpkin returned after a moment, ignoring Charles.

"Edmund didn't answer him, and the room fell silent as Edmund thought hard.

"Come on, you two look like you've eaten only apples for a week," Trumpkin laughed.

The two followed Trumpkin to a dining room full of bright light and with views overlooking the wood they had spent days walking through. Trumpkin excused himself, going to send word to Caspian whilst carts full of pastries were rolled in and the two were left alone.

"As promised." Edmund said with a flourish of his hand, laughing.

Charles and Edmund dug in and ate heartily, gorging their selves.  
"So, I owe you some explanations." Edmund ventured.

Charles nodded hard.

"What I claimed to Gurdin was true, I am the King. One of the Kings, Narnia has a few. Whether I am King over Caspian is subjective, but in politics it means conflict. My becoming King is a long story - and only told right by a few people, perhaps I'll tell you one day but it isn't important is important is that Narnia is on the brink of a war. This security lockdown isn't good - and Trumpkin may say that Caspian left to find Aslan, but that only means that Caspian is in hiding, and that there's a lot going on that they don't know about yet. War gets bad in Narnia, it's nothing like the second world war, it's just as terrifying with less medicine and technology to help. I don't want you to be caught in this war, and you don't want that either. So new priority, we get you home. Once Caspian returns i'll organise a company to accompany us and take you back. Agreed?"

Charles was under the opinion that he hadn't received much of an explanation but agreed nonetheless, Edmund was right, he didn't want to be trapped in a war.

Once they had finished eating Edmund took Charles to have a bath (it was quite strange for him,) and gave him some soft Narnian clothes and put him in a bed that Charles could only describe as sleeping on a cloud and he fell into a slumber. Before he fell asleep he remembered briefly Edmund stationing a tiger at the foot of his bed with the instructions to take him to Edmund once he had awoken.


	3. Of Prisoners and Questions

The sunlight was streaming in through the curtains when Charles awoke and he instantly tried sinking further into the bed, he had forgotten how nice they were, especially when one was sleeping on the ground for the last few days.

He opened his eyes to see something that was faintly human and smelling like jasmine standing by his bed with a tray.

"Master Charles, you mustn't sleep all day," she smiled sweetly.

"What are you?" He asked as he sat up and noticed that the tiger was still laying at the foot of his bed lazily.

She giggled, "a nymph," she set the tray down on his bed The nymph was beautiful, and when he took his eyes away from her he noticed for the first time the room held a wardrobe, desk and comfy set of lounges with a small balcony that had a view of a thundering river.

Charles left his bed and walked over to the balcony, opening the glass doors and stepping out. The river wasn't as big as he had thought it was but it was long and he could see it trailing as far as the eye could see and all along it was villages. If he craned his neck he could see the grassy hill over which they had come just yesterday.

The tiger walked up beside him, "his majesty felt that you would be rather sick of the woods," and he too took in the sights. Charles almost jumped, he had forgotten that the animals could talk.

It took Charles a moment to realise that the tiger was talking about Edmund and not Caspian.

"He was right," Charles chuckled, he never wanted to see the woods again. Yet he knew he'd be back there soon.

Charles went back inside and noticed the nymph was gone but there was a set of clothes lying on the bed beside his tray of food. He hurriedly put the clothes on and grabbed the tray and took it over to the table. He was about to eat the roast sandwiches when he thought that it was rather rude to not offer anything to the tiger.

"Did you want some erm-" Charles realised that he didn't know the tiger's name.

"I do not enjoy human foods," the tiger said as he crossed his paws once more and lay down.

"Do you have a name?" Charles winced slightly at his words.

"My mother called my Olvin," he responded shortly, flicking his tail.

Charles took to eating the sandwiches and when he was done the tiger stood up, "come, son of Adam the King has asked for your presence," and walked out the door.

The castle was big and confusing, Charles could hardly make sense of it. Breaking up the grey stone were all sorts of tapestries and paintings that were rather splendid and added warmth to the silent castle. Charles thought that was odd to not have it busy with people but then he remembered that they were supposed to be on lock down, and most of the staff and Lords and such would have been asked to leave.

Olvin began taking Charles to familiar territory and he realised they were nearing the jail cells.

"Where are we going?" Charles asked, he couldn't see why they would be going back.

"To King Edmund," the tiger's reply was short as usual.

"But, what's Edmund doing back in the jail cells, shouldn't he be..." Charles trailed off suddenly realising that he had no idea what it was the Edmund does here.

"His majesty is interrogating prisoners," the tiger replied, ignoring Charles' floundering.

They were soon in the jail cells and Charles looked with disdain at the place where he had slept last night. The room was brighter, much brighter and he noticed that extra torches had been placed through the cells.

The dwarf that had spoken to them this morning instantly recognised Charles.

"Your back little boy, did you miss me?" He made kissing noises and Charles looked away from him, searching for Edmund.

"If your looking for your little friend he's torturing the scum, good riddance," he smiled again and Charles noticed that the humans in the other cells were missing as his heart skipped a beat at the word torture.

Olvin growled loudly as the dwarf laughed.

"Watch your tongue dwarf or you'll be next!" Edmund's booming voice came out from the top of the stairs.

Charles watched as he came down with the prisoners (who looked if anything, pleased) and guards surrounding them and noticed that Edmund seemed much happier and comfortable. He too, had changed into Narnian clothes. His shirt had an image of a tree embroidered on it and it looked to be made of silk, a much finer quality than Charles' own shirt. He also noticed that, though his overgrown dark hair hid much of it, there was a silver crown nestled on his head.

The men were sent back into the cells as the dwarf jeered at them.

"I thought that your King asked you to be silent," said another dwarf that Charles recognised as Trumpkin as he too came down the stairs with a cloth in his hand.

"You coming Edmund?" The dwarf asked as he went into another room Charles hadn't noticed before.

Edmund and Olvin made to follow as Charles stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. The tiger suddenly turned around.

"Are you not coming son of adam?" He asked and Charles began a half jog to catch up to them.

The room had a large table in the middle and surrounding it were shelves filled with hundreds of different things that seemed to have no particular order or place.

"Did you sleep well?" Edmund frowned at Charles, it was a funny look, as if he was analysing him.

"Your promise came through. Glad I didn't get park views," Charles smiled as Edmund laughed merrily.

"Olvin?" Edmund said to the tiger, still smiling.

"There were some rats in the wall but I could only smell hunger on them. Nothing else to report," Olvin replied as Edmund's smile dropped and Trumpkin made a noise.

"One think at a time boy, we'll deal with the rats later," he put the cloth wrapped object on the table and removed the cloth. It was a golden knight from a chess set, with a ruby for an eye.

Edmund scrutinised it carefully, before picking it up. Charles could see it slipping through his fingers and noticed very briefly that there were letters inscribed on the base, _KEP._

"When he was caught he was advertising the inscription, claiming it to be your initials but most people weren't convinced," Trumpkin said as he watched Edmund.

"Why?" Edmund sounded surprised, but Charles was under the impression that the Trumpkin was right, KEP could have been anything, Charles was sure that the Narnian's had other languages that it could have been.

"KEP aren't your initials, they've always been represented as HMKEJ, even in letters with your own handwriting," Trumpkin explained.

Charles frowned and Trumpkin clarified, "His majesty, King Edmund the Just."

"Mmm, yes, that's how it was written. But this was a gift from Peter for my sixteenth birthday," Edmund said thoughtfully. Charles suddenly realised that the initials inscribed would have been correct, _King Edmund Pevensie._

 _"_ Well, what does it stand for?" Trumpkin said impatiently.

"King Edmund Pevensie," Edmund said as he put it down on the table.

"You have a last name?" Trumpkin sounded surprised, as if he had never considered that before.

Edmund laughed and nodded.

Charles failed to see how this was important.

"Well, I would have recalled seeing this if you had ever shown me, this is excellent craftsmen," Trumpkin said confidently.

"So it's agreed, the dwarf got into the treasure house and has been flogging everything in it," Edmund sounded crestfallen.

"Sorry Ed, I didn't know," Trumpkin sounded for the first time genuinely upset.

"Why, that's the point isn't it? You aren't supposed to know that there is a mountain of gold just beneath you," Edmund half smiled. "Okay Olvin, bring him in."

The tiger got up and left, returning moments later with the black dwarf, his arms tied together now.

"Sire, if I may, I don't think Charles needs to be here," Olvin said carefully to Edmund. Charles was reminded violently of what Benjmar had said about the men being missing before.

Trumpkin nodded in agreement as Edmund looked at Charles.

"You're right Olvin, of course, take him to my room, there's plenty there to keep him entertained, that is unless you've been flogging wares from my room at Caspian's castle too," Edmund said sharply to Benjmar who smiled once again.

"Anything for a pretty Lion and throne, isn't that right _Prince_ Edmund," the dwarf laughed. If Edmund had wanted to hit the dwarf he was beaten by Trumpkin.

"Keep your foul lies and stories in your foul caves traitor," Trumpkin said savagely.

"Olvin," a red flushed Edmund reminded the tiger who seemed to be trying to make sense of the comment.

The tiger lead Charles out of the room and once they were in the corridor Charles asked what the dwarf had meant.

"I do not know. I am not versed in the legends of the Fell," the tiger's voice was sharper that usual as he took Charles to Edmund's room.

"Isn't Edmund King?" Charles asked again, suddenly buzzing with curiosity over the statement that had offended both Edmund and Trumpkin so much.

"Yes, the Just of the Western Woods," Olvin was stiffer still.

"What are they going to do to the dwarf? And the men?" Despite the foulness of the creature he couldn't image Edmund ever hurting someone.

"I would advise you to ignore anything a fell creature says. King Edmund does not condone torture," the tiger seemed to know exactly what Charles was thinking.

"Why did they want me to leave then?"

"Did you not just think that King Edmund was having the prisoners tortured?"

Charles nodded and continued following Olvin to Edmund's room.

"So what happens to prisoners?"

"That is up to the King," the tiger flicked his tail.

"What about trespassers?" Charles suddenly wanted to know his fate had they not gotten out of the situation.

"I do not know,"

"Aren't you apart of that system," Charles reasoned, if the tiger was acting as a guard then he must know more about prisoners and punishments.

"No,"

"What?"

"No,"

"Then your not a guard?"

"I am, but I serve King Caspian. My only job is to protect him, I have nothing to do with Narnia's criminals nor the army," he paused but seeing Charles' face he continued, "I was moved to King Edmund's personal guard."

"Personal guard, like someone who follows him around all day?" Charles thought of King George at home, he had a few of them - but he had hardly seen Olvin with Edmund, he'd been with Charles all day.

"Yes. King Edmund asked for your protection to be made priority, and reassigned me to you,"

"So who watches Edmund?" Charles was warmed slightly by Edmund's concern.

"King Edmund is the greatest swordsman Narnia has and believes that he does not need a personal guard currently," Charles could tell that Olvin disagreed.

Charles stopped asking questions as Olvin lead him to a great wooden door in a corridor filled with beautiful tapestries and opened it with his paw.

The room was much bigger than his own, and Edmund had been right, there was a lot to do. There was a floor to ceiling bookcase filled with all sorts of books, sets of chess and checkers, shelves of artefacts and a table filled with maps, little figures scattered all over it. On the desk there were stacks of paper and writing instruments that he had never seen before. The room was a mess, which surprised Charles - Edmund, for the most part was neat and organised.

"After King Edmund left five years ago the room locked itself and nobody could open it. This is the remains of King Edmund's last efforts to create peace between the Narnians and Telmarines," Olvin sounded as if he was slightly in awe himself, as Charles was stunned that he seemed to know what he was thinking.

As Charles looked over the maps it seemed that Edmund had been co-ordinating a battle near the lantern waste, and Edmund seemed confident that he would win. Piled over the maps were documents and as Charles looked over the flowery writing he realised that these were about the Fell creatures everyone was talking about. He leafed through them as Olvin lay down on the floor once again, his eyes closed and ears pricked. In the middle of the stack of papers was a sketch and after a moment Charles noticed that it was the stick he had seen with Edmund the first day. It was only a sketch but it scared Charles so he put the papers back down and looked around the room once more.

Charles took to exploring the room as if it were a museum. Charles supposed that to him it was, it had preserved Edmund, not as his friend, but as King of the Narnians, someone Charles was only beginning to know.


	4. A Stroll In The Woods

Charles spent the rest of the day in Edmund's room, entertaining himself by rediscovering his best friend and asking Olvin questions that he reluctantly answered. At about four o'clock he found a book titled _The Complete History Of Narnia: Children's Edition_ which he took to reading. It read more like stories than a history book, but it was long and so when Charles found himself being summoned he had only just begun reading the section entitled _The Hundred Year Winter._ He had seen Edmund's name a few times so far when he had skimmed the book but this was the first time that he had been written about as a historical figure.

Olvin escorted him down to the kitchen, Charles still not having his bearing in the huge place. As Charles walked the castle he noticed that before it felt empty, but now it felt deserted.

The kitchen was on the bottom floor, and when Charles opened the door he was struck by the warmth and light that was missing from the rest of the castle. It was a quaint kitchen, empty except for the nymph that had brought him lunch before, Edmund, Trumpkin and Gurdin.

Charles looked at the wolf laying over Edmund's feet bitterly, Edmund seemed quite at peace with the wolf but Charles hadn't forgotten his long teeth and how close he had come to imprisoning them forever.

"Queen Susan's Horn!" Trumpkin suddenly yelled as he waved his hand about, going over to a bucket of water where the nymph sat and plunging his hand in it. He had been chopping vegetables, which Charles thought was strange for a Lord to be doing. Charles sat down next to Edmund and Olvin lay by the door, watching Gurdin intently.

Edmund smiled at him and then passed a heavy book to him.

"I thought you might enjoy the adult edition over the childrens," Edmund laughed as Charles looked at the cover, a carefully painted picture of four thrones with four small people next to them. Charles had thought they were dwarfs at first but then he realised that they had no beard, and were just children. One of them looked vaguely like Edmund and Charles wondered if the rest of the children were his siblings.

"How did you know I was reading that?" Charles furrowed his brow and looked at Olvin, but the tiger couldn't possibly have told Edmund this.

Edmund smiled, "in my experience it is best to know exactly what is going on in your home," Charles was not any less confused by this.

Instead of asking more questions he knew Edmund wouldn't answer he continued looking at the cover, noticing the finer images on the border that seemed to tell a story, he could feel Edmund watching him, he knew that Charles wanted to ask something. He turned the cover over and began looking at the back, it was a circle of animals with a great lion in the middle. Charles felt Edmund's eyes slip off him and move to something else.

"Is this you?" Charles pointed a long finger at a black haired boy at the last throne.

Edmund, apparently no longer interested in Charles and watching Trumpkin cook intently nodded his head, "and my siblings. The Narnian's called it Coronation day and we'd have week long festivities," Edmund hadn't turned to Charles, he was still watching the dwarf. Charles turned his attention back to the details of the cover.

"How's supper coming along DLF?" Edmund spoke suddenly.

"Fine, just fine, thank you," Trumpkin said gruffly as he cut lettuce roughly, and it seemed to Charles that Trumpkin wasn't quite cutting it, but attacking it. Edmund had always taken his food seriously and Charles stifled a laugh as he realised that Edmund was trying to hide that he was most displeased by how dinner was turning out.

"Those Paveanders you cooked down at Cair Paravel were excellent you know Trumpkin," Charles had known Edmund long enough that he knew Edmund was trying to make a subtle point. Clearly, Edmund had thought Trumpkin a better cook than he was.

"Those kitchen staff were excellent too!" Trumpkin shot back Edmund's own words as he went to what looked like a wood oven.

"You can hardly say you are in a lock down when half the staff are still here," Edmund reasoned. "Caspian will be back this time this afternoon if he keeps a good pace, then the castle may resume."

"If your version of a lockdown continues I'll be sending for Trufflehunter, I'm not cooking your meals," Trumpkin protested again as he started cutting what looked to be ham.

Charles felt that he ought to get up and help the dwarf who looked largely out of touch with his cooking ability when Edmund sent the nymph a meaningful look and she got up and began to help Trumpkin. Edmund was an ever helpful boy, and Charles thought it was strange that Edmund had not offered to help himself, but then wondered that if Edmund was King, did that mean that he thought it below himself. He had known Edmund since they were boys, and never had he thought Edmund to be better than anyone, he was just Edmund. Content to be.

"We're on lockdown, you can't bring Trufflehunter in here," Edmund sighed.

"Well you can cook your own meals!" Trumpkin yelled as he slammed down a fry pan on the bench angrily.

"I'm sure your cooking will be splendid," Edmund said quickly, the words tinged with doubt. He lent into Charles now and whispered, "somewhere between jousting, tax laws and sailing lessons they forgot to teach me how to cook, the girls can't do much better you know, but you can't beat a dwarf's cooking. Usually."

Charles was slightly alarmed, he knew how to cook basic food, but he thought that in Narnia it would be much harder, and who was to say that they had the same kind of flour as England did.

Edmund struck up a conversation with Charles about an assignment they had in geography and Charles felt much more comfortable, it appeared as if the Edmund he knew was sitting before him for the first time since he had come to Narnia.

The meal was cooked not long after and Edmund's doubts on Trumpkins cooking ability were not lost. Some things were quite fine (here Charles suspected the nymph had been helping), but most things tasted slightly wrong. Charles thought that maybe they tasted wrong only because he was eating breakfast foods for dinner, and the assortment of eggs, bacon and beans with some kind of half-made salad was just not what one would call dinner food.

"Not a bad days work there Ed," Trumpkin looked pleased with himself as he finished his meal and pulled out a pipe.

"If Peter was here it would all be done already you know," there was a momentary sadness in Edmund's eyes as Trumpkin chortled, clearly imagining the amount of work that would be done. Charles thought this rather odd, he had not thought Trumpkin to be one to enjoy working.

"Still set on your plans then? We're not to do anything meaningful tomorrow?" Trumpkin asked as he puffed rings of smoke and Charles realised suddenly that Trumpkin was trying to steer the conversation towards a certain point.

Edmund ignored the latter of his remark, "no, no, there isn't anything left to do. Not without Caspian at any rate. I'll be with Charles." Edmund smiled at Charles and Trumpkin scoffed, clearly under the impression that there was much work to be done, with or without the King.

Charles suddenly felt like a huge burden, "it's okay Ed, you do your stuff. I'll entertain myself, you don't need to worry about me," Charles protested.

"The boy's right. You'll spend all this time and effort to train him up only to send him off again, it'll all be for naught," Trumpkin said bluntly, and it was clear that Charles had been discussed before dinner. Edmund shot Trumpkin a look.

"I suppose you would rather that I send him off on his own with a knife and a good luck," Edmund said accusingly, growing angry. Charles was warmed slightly that Edmund seemed to care so much about him.

"I'm just saying lad, your efforts will be lost, and your talents are needed here," Trumpkin was not phased by Edmund's words. He opened his mouth to say more but Edmund shot him a glare that Charles hoped he would never receive.

"We best be off to bed Charles, we have a big day ahead of us," Edmund said as he rose and everyone else followed immediately after.

Edmund took Charles a small room that Edmund declared was his and bid him and Olvin (who put up a small fight,) goodnight and left for his own room.

Charles awoke the next morning well rested with Edmund rapping at his door, "hurry up Charles! If your not up in five seconds I'm coming in."

Edmund did come in, laughing at bleary Charles. He put down plates of bacon and toast on the table and threw some clothes at Charles.

Reluctantly, Charles got up and dressed in the clothes, which were mildly different from yesterday and much softer.

Edmund nodded his approval as Charles joined him at the table, "you could pass as a knight of the western march you know."

Charles noticed that he was wearing the same design as Edmund had been wearing yesterday (today he wore a white long sleeved shirt with a leather vest on top.)

Edmund entertained him with a story from when he had been King and lead an attack on the giants in the north, much to the amazement of Charles as they ate breakfast, before leading him down to the stables, without Olvin, who Edmund said had to stay and protect the castle (Olvin protested to this.)

The stables were filled with animals, and the nymph from yesterday was there feeding them. The air wasn't nearly as stale as one would have imagined and Charles found that he enjoyed the company of the animals, they were familiar to him.

"Hello, how are you?" Charles asked of one of the horses. Edmund laughed before quickly forcing himself to stop.

"These are dumb horses, they don't talk," Edmund pointed out and Charles felt rather silly.

Charles went around and started stroking different horses' noses, he had ridden them once when he was younger, before the war, but it had been some time. He could see Edmund saddling a horse out of the corner of his eye as he rhythmically stroked a black horses' nose.

Edmund, leading two horses came over to him.

"That's Caspian's horse. A very loyal beast," Edmund reached out too and stroked its nose. The horse whinnyed appreciatively and nuzzled Edmund's hand.

"Been a while since you've gone out, huh boy?" Edmund smiled as the horse appeared to nod to him, "when Caspian returns I promise I'll make him come and say hello."

Edmund lead the other horses out to the courtyard and helped Charles get a leg up on a chestnut horse. Edmund was about to mount his own when he stopped and ran back inside, returning moments later with two huge broadsword in his hand. Quickly, he strapped his sword to his belt and shoved a dagger inside his shoe, handing a dagger and sword to Charles as well.

"Is this necessary?" Charles asked alarmed, the sword was huge.

Edmund grinned, "it well time that you learn how to use a sword properly."

It took Charles some time to get his bearing on the horse but soon he was catching up to the well practised Edmund, and the two made a game of chasing each other until eventually Edmund made Charles take out his sword and began to teach him some basic moves. Swing after swing, Edmund would knock the sword out of Charles hand whilst shouting advice.

After one such swing Charles sat down in the grass, his sword forgotten to the side.

"I'm terrible!" Charles said, dismayed as Edmund sat down next to him.

"You're a beginner," Edmund countered and Charles looked at his exasperatedly.

"I, may, also have been going a little hard on you," Edmund admitted quietly.

Charles looked very much like he was going to give up.

"You know, your far better than my cousin was. Caspian and I spent months teaching him and he even had Caspian's second best sword, not like yours," Edmund said looking bitterly at the sword. Charles smiled slightly.

"You mean these swords... they're..." Charles trailed off.

Edmund laughed heartily, "yours is a training sword, it isn't even sharp! It's hard to use, but that makes it all the easier when you use the real thing."

"Is that how you learned?" Charles asked, his curiosity of this new Edmund seemed like it would never be quenched.

"No. I was taught by a centaur named Oreius the day before my first battle. Peter and I spent hours dueling each other, he was a lot better at it than I, but I was only ten. As we grew older I could challenge him properly. I actually learnt to fight with two swords," Edmund said, picking at grass.

"These people, the ones that tried to kill the King and the ones we saw... you know them well?"

"Some would say too well," Edmund responded.

"What?" Charles looked startled.

Edmund smiled, "I wasn't a very good person for a time, I was terrible but war changes people, for better or for worse. Aslan showed me how to change for the better. I learnt that my family came first, and my family included all Narnians. I don't know if I succeeded in being a worthy King or brother, but I hope I did. My people, the Narnians, they deserve true happiness and if I can't give every single Narnian that I don't think I would still consider myself to be a King worthy of Narnia's love."

Charles stared at Edmund. Charles had spent years with Edmund, and he knew that what Edmund said held all the information he would ever need to know about this new Edmund. He had ridden off to battle time and time again and Charles had not been able to picture that, not until this moment when he watched Edmund soak up the sun of his home. He suddenly realised that for Edmund going to battle would be nothing if it made Narnia safe, and Charles was, for some reason, sitting on the ground next to a man who had fought proudly for a country that he wasn't even born in. What was he doing sitting on the ground giving up? Edmund had spent years in Narnia trying to do impossible things to make Narnia a happy and safe place and here he still was, hundreds of years later still trying to be the best King he can be.

"Can...can we go again?" Charles asked nervously.

Edmund smiled, "gladly."

Edmund gave him a hand up and positioned Charles hands better on the sword before swiping his sword at Charles. This time, the sword did not fall from Charles' hands, but instead made a large clang and Charles swiped back. Charles swung the sword with new enthusiasm this time, and was far more successful.

"You aren't bad, cousin," Edmund smiled at Charles after some time. It was strange to hear Edmund call him cousin, but it filled him with warmth nonetheless, he couldn't image what the beasts and men felt when their King called them cousin, but he imagined it to be something like a drink of ice water on a hot day.

It was well into the afternoon when Edmund made them stop and presented them with lunch. It was cold ham and some fruit. The food was somehow richer and tastier than anything in England, and he was glad for it. After lunch Edmund took Charles riding deeper into the forest, heading west towards his own region.

They rode around through the woods until Edmund sharply stopped his horse and dismounted, signalling for Charles to do the same. He drew his sword but made Charles stand with the horses, whispering that he would be back in a moment. Edmund bounded off into the woods after whatever he had seen and left Charles alone with the horses.

Edmund was not gone five minutes when he heard a wolf howl in pain. He whipped around, looking for the source of the noise but his eyes couldn't see anything in the green foliage, he was not used to the woods like Edmund.

Charles was scared. More than slightly. He was about to get up and try and find Edmund when he was suddenly violently knocked over, claws dug deep into his shoulder. The reigns snapped out of his hand and he heard them cry out and run off. Charles screamed.

Hot, dog breath warmed his face and for a moment Charles thought it was Gurdin. But then he saw the violently red eyes and behind him sat another three wolves. He screamed again, calling for Edmund.

The wolf growled, "it's dinner times boys," he snapped his jaws at Charles as he struggled to stick his fingers into his boot where he had stashed the dagger Edmund gave him, his sword still on his lost horse.

The wolf was just about to snap Charles' neck when he let out a high pitched whine as his head fell to the side and the body crashed onto Charles'.

Charles looked up to see Edmund brandishing a bloody sword, another two wolves were running towards them and Charles' shoulder burned.

"Move Charles!" Edmund yelled as he pushed Charles behind a bunch of rather large rocks. The wolves forgot about Charles and advanced on the threat, Edmund.

One of them pounced, but Edmund was quicker and spun out of the way, slashing the underside of it's belly in the process and moved towards the second. It tried attacking Edmund but Edmund's sword nicked him. Charles wanted to charge in, but he was hardly a swordsmen, all he had was a little knife and there were four wolves. He pulled it out of his boot just as the first wolf got back up to attack Edmund again. Now surrounded, Edmund began slashing his sword wildly, slicing off only whiskers but forcing the wolves to stay back. Charles threw the knife at a wolf right by him, hitting him in the back leg, a poor throw. The wolf turned and looked at Charles with its red eyes and made to dive into the rocks and attack Charles. Edmund, with renewed vigor slashed at the first wolf again, until he fell to the ground, dead and ran at the second. He cut clean one of it's legs and gave it a large incision on its back, enough for it to fall to the floor and no longer be a threat to Charles.

Charles looked at Edmund's face. He was sweating and there was dirt and blood all over him. He turned quickly back to the other two wolves that weren't yet injured enough.

Suddenly, the sound of horses came and the wolves slowly backed off, their ears pressed into the heads, looking around for the sound. It seemed Charles was not the only one unfamiliar with these woods. Edmund ignored the noise and advanced on them as well. Charles felt as if he had only blinked and suddenly there was a gold haired boy standing next to Edmund with an even larger sword slashing at the wolves. All around him surrounding the woods was a great number of beasts, many of them peering at Charles.

There was a great howl and suddenly the only wolf left was the one Edmund had left injured, lying on the floor. Edmund was hugging the fair haired boy, talking animatedly. He called Charles name.

Charles got up and awkwardly walked over. He felt like a coward, especially compared to Edmund who had made short work of the wolves.

"Charles! This is Caspian!" Edmund said excitedly.

Charles tried to bow, greeting the King. Caspian only laughed.

"Good to meet you brother. Is this your knife?" Caspian handed Charles knife back to him. He wasn't sure where Caspian had got it from, but before he could ask he turned back to Edmund. "You've left one alive. Oh, very smart brother."

Edmund didn't respond, he just walked over to the wolf, who was squirming on the ground as Caspian hung back, looking over Charles approvingly. Charles felt sorry for the wolf, he didn't know why. It just looked so pathetic on the ground, and the burning sensation in his arm seemed to dim with the image of the wolf.

"Mercy, mercy kind knight. Mercy!" The wolf squealed to Edmund.

"Aslan renounced you, you lost your chance for mercy then," Edmund replied.

"Mercy, mercy, I follow Aslan, he is the true king!" Edmund ignored this.

"Where is your mistress!" Edmund demanded coldly, Charles was almost scared, not for himself, but for the wolf.

"I have none. Please sir, I serve only Aslan," the wolf squealed again.

Charles was drawing closer to the wolf, he thought Caspian would hold him back but he didn't.

"Your friends have stolen an item that does not belong to you, how did you come by it?" Edmund demanded again.

"I would never steal. Please sir, please!" The wolf begged.

Edmund looked to Caspian. Their eyes met briefly. Edmund looked at Charles who was almost by his side now.

"Someone attempted to kill your King. Who was it, how did they get into the castle?" Edmund asked again, his voice sterner.

"Never sir, never. Curse the one who brings harm to the crown," the wolf squawked.

"You refuse to answer my questions, Fell. I know what you are and who you belong to. Answer, or be sentenced to death," Edmund eyes were dilating now. Charles wanted to save the poor thing, it seemed as if he did not know at all what he had done.

The wolf said nothing, it just whimpered.

"So be it. I, King Edmund the Just, by the will of Aslan, under the High King Peter, sentence you to death," Edmund spoke clearly and loudly.

"Traitor! Traitor to Queen, traitor to King, traitor to country! Your blood will spill upon the Stone Table! Your blood will return the winter!" The wolf suddenly snarled, but he was quickly subdued by Edmund's boot on his wound.

"Look away Charles," Edmund whispered. Charles' didn't, but he regretted it later.

Edmund brought his sword down hard and swift against the wounded beast's neck and it let out a great howl that made Charles' hair stand up on end.

"I pray Aslan refuses you entry to his country," Edmund whispered again. Charles didn't know what that meant, but he hoped for the opposite.

Charles looked at the blood staining the once-green grass, where the now dead wolf lay and swallowed hard. Edmund had been right, he didn't want to see him kill a defenseless creature like that, he could feel Edmund's eyes on him now.

"Come on men, to home! I'll send for their bodies to be burnt once we return," Caspian called to the creatures in the woods. There was a great amount of movement and Charles watched as they all went on back towards the Castle, Caspian staying behind. Charles didn't move. Nor did Edmund.

"You were the subject of that wolf's last words," Caspian looked at Edmund hard. "Edmund, I'm not versed in the stories or language of the Fell but -"

"Good, you'd do well to stay unaware," Edmund's voice was icy and Caspian was silenced.

"Edmund," Caspian started again but stopped quickly.

Charles was barley registering the conversation, he was still staring at the limp wolf. In his mind it was still begging for mercy. Dimly, he was aware that Benjmar had said something similar of Edmund only the morning before. Edmund was staring at him, and Caspian at both of them.

"You understand Charles, that I was named the Just, not for a title, but for the responsibility," Edmund said carefully as he wiped his blade clean on the grass, "so when I denied this creature mercy, it was in the name of justice and Aslan."

Charles nodded, staring at the beast. He realised for the first time that it wasn't a wolf. It was like a human imitating a wolf and looked startling similar to the creatures he had seen on his first day in Narnia.

"These aren't wolves," Charles remarked as Edmund began dragging their bodies together into the rocks where Charles had hidden. He had either forgotten that Caspian was going to send someone or wanted to do it himself. He wasn't sure. He didn't care.

"No. These were once men who refused Aslan's commands."

"So he turned them into this?" Charles was horror struck, he had thought that Aslan was a good king.

"They turned themselves, they agreed to be bitten to be turned into this, to become a Fell creature. Aslan will deny them entry into his own country for their crimes." Edmund was methodical, this wasn't the first time he had done this.

Edmund had begun heaping leaves and branches over the piles of fur and Charles and Caspian watched silently on.

"Your throw was good, I'll make a marksmen out of you yet, how is your shoulder?" Edmund smiled encouragingly at him as he clapped Charles on the back. He felt sick.

"Painful," Charles had almost forgotten about his shoulder, but now he realised that it was throbbing with pain. Charles thought bitterly that his pain was nothing to the wolfs, begging for mercy.

Now covered in leaves, Edmund worked hard to start a fire with stones. He set the leaves and bodies alight, guarded by the rocks. Clasping him, Edmund lead Charles after the Narnians, starting up a cheerful conversation with Caspian about his time in England since they had last seen each other, Caspian's questions unanswered like Charles.

Charles tried to listen to the conversation, to participate, he really did. All he could think about though was the crackling of the fire burning the bodies of those men and wolf hybrids that had been breathing not so long ago. Charles almost didn't care that they had attacked him. It somehow didn't matter now, not after he had seen Edmund snatch that wolf's life away as it begged for mercy. Justice, that's what Edmund called it. He knew Edmund was right, but still, inside him, he thought it was wrong. He suddenly realised that he might not want to know this Edmund.


	5. One Is The Loneliest Number

Charles had to spend the night in the infirmary because of his shoulder. The nurses there claimed that it could be dangerous, that something might happen, that you never know with these creatures. The beds weren't comfortable, but they put a paste of herbs onto his shoulder that soothed the burning, even though he felt as if he was hardly hurt at all, unlike the wolf. Charles asked for Edmund, but he did not come, and nor did Caspian or even Olvin. He had fretful nightmares of him running through the woods trying to find home. Edmund was chasing after him with a bloody sword, trying to kill him and he was killing anything else in his path to Charles. He awoke the next day, feeling more homesick than ever, all he wanted to do now was to return to his own bed, in his own room, to hear the trains rattling by and smell fresh coffee. He inquired the day, and the nurse sent him back to his own room with a paste to be applied and a calendar. All Charles could make out of the calendar was that it was Wednesday. Someone delivered his lunch to his room. He asked a nymph with a stack of freshly laundered sheets if he could see Edmund, he wanted to cling to the bit of home that he had, to reassure himself that Edmund wasn't a cruel man. Later she sent him a note saying that he was busy. Dinner was served in his room.

Trumpkin woke him Thursday with bacon, crispy and almost burnt. He had come to see his shoulder, apparently he was somewhat of an expert on these creatures. He declared Charles to be quite well, and told him that it would scar, but it was fine. Charles asked to see Edmund, but Trumpkin said he was out and wouldn't return until later. He promised to tell Edmund when he returned and told him that he expected that Charles could go home soon, they were just waiting to confirm safety precautions and to spare the men to accompany him. Lunch was served in his room again, and by then Charles had read the entire History of Narnia and the surrounding lands. After lunch a lord of some-sort invited him to a cheese tasting, and Charles accepted. It turned out that it was just the two of them, eating cheese in a warm room, whilst the lord tried to talk to Charles as if he was a child. He had dinner in his room, and when the nymph served it he asked if he could see Edmund, but she just said that he was out.

Friday went the same as Thursday, but this time he was given an invitation to lunch from a lord who wanted to tell him about apple orchards. The Lord was a good bit jollier than the man with the cheese and he took him out to the nearby orchards. Apparently the saplings came from the Cair Paravel Orchard, something Edmund had planted with his own hands. The Lord seemed to want to talk about Edmund a lot, so eventually he feigned illness and returned to his room. Charles tried to wander through the castle but he accidentally walked in on a meeting with Trumpkin and some moles, and he was sent back to his room. By Sunday he had read all of the books in his room, and Edmund still hadn't come, despite every person he saw promising to ensure that Edmund came to see Charles. Caspian came in after lunch with a stack of clothes. He tried to be nice to Charles, but he seemed anxious, his leg was jiggling and his eyes kept flicking to the door, so eventually Charles just told him to go. When he asked why he couldn't see Edmund he gave the same vague answers as everyone else. So he asked where he went, and Caspian only said he did not know. The clothes turned out to be a random bag of donations, nothing in there was Edmund's.

On Monday he asked seventeen separate people where he could find Edmund. Most didn't know who Charles was, and when he tried explaining they plastered frowns on their face, the rest simply said that he was not at the castle. Charles was beginning to think that Edmund was purposefully trying to hide from him. He picked out three books from the library and asked after Caspian. He was turned away again, and settled into his lonely dinner once more.

On Tuesday he woke extra early and set up camp in an empty room with a window of the gate to see if Edmund really left during the day. He wasn't there very long when Edmund came striding out on his horse with swords on his side and full armour, shouting orders to a large group of men, Olvin and Gurdin were with him. Five minutes later they left, and an hour after that Caspian with his guards followed. Charles stayed all day, waiting to see when he would return. He forgot his meals and hid in the room, watching the gate. It was nearly midnight when the sound of hooves came through the gate and Caspian and Edmund walked their horses into the courtyard and handed them to some stable boys. They were talking to each other, and set off into the castle together. Charles went to bed without dinner, tired and annoyed. Just because Edmund went out once, didn't mean he was doing it any other day, and he'd certainly seen Caspian around enough to know that their ventures into the woods was not regular. Edmund had promised answers, and even if he was as busy as everyone claimed, it really would be nothing to ask someone to give Charles a message.

On Wednesday Caspian came to visit again but he would deflect anything about Edmund so he just answered questions about trains and fridges or whatever else had sparked Caspian's interest and wallowed. He asked when he could go home and Caspian said soon, that things weren't safe yet, and left him with a new book that was a love story of some sort. He declined an afternoon tea with another lord, but at dinner a letter was given to him, inviting him to lunch with Edmund tomorrow in the garden. Charles almost turned him down out of spite, see how Edmund liked it, but then he realised that it wouldn't accomplish anything else, and it had been a week since he had last seen Edmund, though he saw him every night in his dreams, killing the poor wolf.

Charles showed up to lunch a whole hour early on Thursday. But Edmund was late. By an hour, then by two, and finally, just as it was almost three hours past lunch an assistant came and told him that something had come up and Edmund couldn't attend. He tried to find his way to Edmund's room but he got lost and had to ask for directions back to his own room. He tried to find the way again on Friday, but after Trumpkin caught him running through the corridors with a piece of paper and ink a few times he was escorted back to his own room. He got an invitation to breakfast on Saturday, but when he got there it was only Caspian. Apparently Edmund had left two hours earlier unexpectedly, so he answered more of Caspian's questions and tried to cool porridge in his mouth.

On Sunday, Charles was told that Edmund would come and have dinner in his room the next night. By then Charles had read every book he could, even Caspian's romance novel (which turned out to be more of a an adventure story,) and had finally worked out the route between Edmund and his room. He contented himself with sitting in a secret corridor by Edmund's room, which was being guarded by two dwarves. But after almost endless hours there and no Edmund Charles had to admit defeat and went back to his room.

It was nearing two weeks since Charles had last seen Edmund, and now he was sitting at the table watching a candle melt as his food stopped steaming. Edmund was an hour late, and Charles had started to think more and more. Many things had been promised to him of late, one was that he would be sent home, another was that he would be kept in the loop, but despite all these promises lying like a shattered window on the floor, it was Edmund's broken promises of dinners that truly cut him. Charles reasoned that one could hardly be a good King and a good friend all at once, but this was getting ridiculous. Charles took deep breathes, watching how the flame flickered with his breath. He remembered one of the lords had wanted to show him about candle making. Charles had greatly suspected that these people were here only on Edmund's orders, and judging by Caspian's sporadic and anxious visits, the King was not exempt from Edmund's orders. These people had granted the illusion that Charles was apart of the thriving community, but he noted that whenever he stepped outside of his room people didn't seem to know who he was, and more than once Trumpkin has scolded him for wondering and sent him back to his room. Charles bitterly imagined Edmund sitting around with courtiers checking important things off checklists and dolling out thousands of pounds and making half-hearted threats before dismissing the men. He'd lazily say to those who had not yet filed out, "oh, and someone better entertain the child, I suppose." This new image of Edmund was carefully cultivated with the montage of Edmund killing the wolf, silent days and the more and more violent dreams.

The door creaked open and a timid girl walked in, Charles recognised her as one of Edmund's assistants, he didn't acknowledge her, he knew what she was going to say already.

"My lord," he didn't have to turn around to know that she would have done a small curtsy, "I've been asked -"

"Where is he?" Charles' didn't let her finish, he was well familiar with the words that came next.

"I do not know my lord," she said softly and kindly, as if she pitied him. Well, Charles pittied himself too.

"Well, you had to have seen him to have got his message," Charles whipped around to face her, his jaw set.

"It was through a letter, I believe he is still out," she tried again to discourage him. Charles though briefly about running off to find Edmund, but with the castle as big as it was it wasn't realistic.

"Where's Caspian?"

"His Grace is busy," she blinked slowly, and bit her lip. A bitter flare of jealousy bubbled inside him as he imaged Edmund and Caspian laughing over dinner, mocking Charles.

"Where's Trumpkin?" Charles asked more aggressively this time.

"He has left to join King Edmund," she said more timidly than ever.

Charles stormed out, leaving the untouched dinner and candle burning onto the table and navigated the maze of a castle to find Edmund's room. A great leopard lay at the door, and they eyed each other. Charles wondered if he knew who he was, if he could smell his smell all over Edmund's bed sheets and books and maps and clothes, if the leopard recognised the remnants of Edmund's wardrobe that he was wearing. He scoffed at the thought, it had been so long ago that he had spent the afternoon in Edmund's room, sifting away at answers that Edmund had been willing to give.

"His Majesty King Edmund is not in his room, all official business is being conducted by King Caspian, as usual," the leopard said lazily as he lay back down.

"I want to see Edmund," Charles said as he positioned his body to open the door.

"Then you will have to speak to King Caspian and ask for a meeting to be organised," he responded plainly.

"You don't seem to understand. I, Charles, Edmund's friend, wants to see him. NOW!" Charles would normally feel bad for being so angry at the leopard since he was only following orders, but he was tired of being pushed off Edmund's to-do list, as if he were the laundry.

The leopard growled at him. Charles launched for the door, but was knocked back.

"I'll ask you to leave, before the guards are called," he growled.

"You can't throw me in jail!" Charles protested as he successfully burst open the door to Edmund's room and ran inside. There was no one in there.

The leopard made a growling sound and started snapping at his heels. Charles tried to grab things, anything and everything, expensive glasses, maps, books, pillows, thick papers, throwing it at the leopard, but there was more cats in the room now. He wanted to tear apart Edmund's room and if he could take down the guard at the same time, well, that was a bonus. But, the next second Charles found himself being escorted to the jail cells, still clutching a marble rook in his hand.

Dwarves opened the cell door and Charles was unceremoniously deposited in the room between the faun and dwarf, just as he had been two weeks ago. The state of the cell was better now, there was a proper bed and a small stack of books. Charles ran to the door, shaking the bars and screaming at the guards, but they locked the door and left him anyway.

"Gurdin! Edmund! Trumpkin! Edmund! Caspian! Edmund! Olvin! Edmund!" Charles screamed his voice hoarse, but there was no answer. He sank to the bed instead.

"You're back boy," Bejmar sneered at him, but Charles ignored him.

He had realised that this was really no different to how it had been for the last two week, really, alone with the false entertainment efforts as Edmund refused to see him. He was alone, and never going home, he'd be forgotten in the cell along with Bejmar and the faun. He let his eyelids fall heavily onto his eyes and the darkness envelope him.

He awoke to the sound of keys rattling in the door and the smell of hot food. It was a dwarf who handed him a plate of food and eyed him suspiciously.

"Do you have someone we can send for to retrieve you? Your mother?" The dwarf said to him.

"No," Charles shook his head. The dwarf sighed.

"New policies, I can't let you out without someone pledging to be accountable for you," he sounded bored, as if he did this all the time.

Charles was silent for a long time, but the dwarf must have done this enough to know that the first answer wasn't always the right answer, so he waited.

"Fine, yes," he said eventually.

The dwarf pulled out a clipboard.

"Name of the person?"

"Edmund,"

"Ah, you're an islander. Relationship?"

"Friend," though Charles grumbled the word.

"Occupation?"

"Pain in the arse?" Charles said, earning a bark of laughter from the dwarf. He almost smiled, it was something Edmund would say.

"Okay kid, come on, I need somewhere to send the letter, whats his occupation?" The dwarf said after a few moments.

"King?"

Now, that made the dwarf laugh. "Okay kid, let us know when you're ready to tell your Mummy what it is that you did and we'll send for her."

The dwarf left the cell and the jail, going back upstairs.

"Where's ya buddy? The little Prince?" Benjmar asked.

"Not here," Charles said shortly. Benjmar was grinning at him, his eyes sparkling at something behind him.

"I'm not the only thief eh?" Benjmar jeered, but Charles ignored him and got back into his bed. There was something hard on the pillow. The rook. He examined it carefully, recalling the gold one that Benjmar had stolen that had made Edmund so angry. This one was big, and much heavier, almost four times the size of a regular rook. It was in perfect condition. He turned it over and found a piece of paper stuck to the bottom of it, and underneath that an engraving. This one had a simpler engraving, it said only to E, from X and some kind of date that he did not recognise. He wondered instantly if Edmund had a suitor that had gifted it to him, or maybe a dignitary. He knew X was none of his siblings. He pushed it from his mind.

Benjmar continued to make comments at him, but it only lasted five minutes or so because someone pulled Benjmar out of his cell and into an interrogation room. He didn't know how long he spent in the cell, but he wallowed. Where had it all gone wrong? Edmund had been perfectly nice to him, he'd been making an effort to show Charles Narnia. Charles wondered for a moment if it were actually him, maybe possibly, he'd said something to Edmund after the day with the wolf in the clearing. Or maybe, maybe Edmund was ashamed of himself and didn't want to see Charles. Charles snapped out of his thoughts when the door above him slammed and he heard boots coming down. He hoped Benjmar wasn't back, he didn't want to listen to his little comments. He didn't get up.

"I've just been up to my room, its been completely smashed up, and one of my guards is screaming assault, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" Charles looked up and saw Edmund standing outside his cell, smiling. He didn't respond, but looked at Edmund. He looked terrible. One shoulder was heavily bandaged and it looked as if he hadn't slept in years.

"You look like shit," Charles said angrily.

"You're only the fourth person to tell me. Today. Two of them was Trumpkin. Don't worry, the bandage is coming off today and we're going to be scar buddies!" Edmund looked somewhat excited at the thought, but what really bothered Charles was that he was acting like the past two weeks hadn't happened. In fact, he was acting somewhat childish.

"Bingle!" Edmund yelled towards the stairs.

The dwarf came bustling down the stairs, keys jingling and clipboard in hand. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Let Charles out will you?" Edmund said, vaguely distracted. He was looking at the faun.

"Right, of course your grace," the dwarf said as he opened the door and Charles walked out. Bingle seemed to be in a bit of disbelief that Charles hadn't been lying.

"Thanks," Charles said quietly.

"Anything for you," Edmund said, and Charles almost laughed, how ridiculous.

"I just need to have the dispatched form filled out, it won't be a moment your majesty," Bingle said.

"No need cousin," and with that Edmund took the quill out of Bingle's hand and scribbled his initial over the whole carefully printed page.

"Come on Charles, we've got stuff to do," Edmund said as he led him up the stairs.

Charles was trying to keep it together, he really was. He'd just spent a week practically locked away and even a day in jail, and Edmund was acting as if there was nothing at all the matter. He was just strolling around as if he owned the place, which Charles supposed he did, but still, it would be nice if Edmund said something to him.

It turned out that Edmund took Charles to his room. It was in perfect condition, as if Charles hadn't just destroyed it. He noticed there was a blank spot on the chessboard, but Edmund didn't say anything about it, and Charles could feel the rook in his pocket. Edmund closed the door and sank into a chair. Charles sat on the bed, away from him.

"Where have you been huh? Why'd you blow me off? I ASKED AFTER YOU EVERYDAY FOR ALMOST TWO WEEKS. TWO WEEKS!" Charles burst. Edmund looked calm as ever. His face was back to that emotionless slate that he did so well, the one that he always wore in England.

Edmund didn't respond.

"You're not going to say ANYTHING? ANYTHING AT ALL? I'VE BEEN SITTING AROUND FOR DAYS!"

Edmund didn't say anything.

Charles liked yelling at Edmund. It felt good, so he yelled some more.

Edmund still didn't say anything, so Charles started throwing things around the room again. Edmund didn't move, he stayed perfectly still and emotionless.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! WHY'D YOU DO THAT? HUH? WHY'D YOU DO THAT? THINK BECAUSE YOUR KING YOU CAN TREAT ME LIKE THAT? IGNORE ME? PRETEND I DON'T EXIST? SORRY THAT I INTRUDED ON YOUR LITTLE MAKE BELIEVE ADVENTURE BUT I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS REMEMBER," Charles continued to yell and even smashed one of the marble pawns from his chess set on the floor. He was breathing heavily and the anger was starting to ebb away, being replaced with the deep blue feelings of loneliness and sadness.

"One of my tutors taught me that King's don't apologise, that they don't owe anyone answers, it's unseemly, weak," Edmund said slowly.

Charles punched him then. He sank his fist right into Edmund's cheek, which he noticed was dark with the beginnings of a beard. Edmund didn't seem hurt, but he stood up abruptly and pushed Charles back onto the bed. He saw a momentary flash of anger, and he thought, for the very first time, that Edmund would beat him then, truly hit him until he was half dead. But Edmund's emotionless face came a second after.

Edmund brushed his fringe off his face. Charles wanted to move but he thought that Edmund might hit him, even with his injured arm and tired face Charles knew that Edmund was stronger and quicker than him.

"It seems that I will have to make an exception for you, since you can't seem to see anything outside of your own orbit! I am trying. Caspian is trying. Trumpkin is trying. We are all trying first and foremost to protect Narnia. You are not the only person here Charles. You will be sent home when we can spare the manpower, when we have secured Narnia, when we have the moment to spare. You do not understand this land, you do not understand its people, nor its history. Oh yes, you might have read the books and heard the stories but you weren't there. You don't, and cannot understand what we face, nor what lengths we will go to stop it. I have not always been a patient person, it is a learned skill that I had thought to have mastered, but you are testing me. I have done everything I can for you. I have ensured your safety, given you access to restricted books, to Lords, even to Caspian, we're all trying to help you. But we can only do so much. I have not kept you locked away at the top of the tallest tower like some damsel in distress. Just because you are my friend doesn't mean you are entitled to know of my activities and to try and change what it is I am doing so as to convenience you. It is clear to me that you don't understand this. It isn't as if I'm off drinking wine all day at parties. I'm spending my nights sleeping on the ground with my men and cleaning my blade of blood. If you wish to complain that you are being kept out of the loop, that you haven't been in contact with me, that you have been forgotten, then by that logic you must also complain that I have kept you from injury. Complain also that I have prevented your presence from being known and drawing unwanted attention and that you are not currently being lowered 6 feet underground!" Edmund spoke quickly, with a wicked tongue that lashed Charles' heart and made it sink. He could see Edmund's point. It was obvious, and Charles felt very selfish, but not enough so as to apologise.

There was silence for a long time as Charles realised that maybe he'd taken everything a little too personally. That maybe, perhaps Edmund really didn't have the time of day to pop in, to write him a letter, to even send his assistants to inform him on time.

"So you've really been out of the castle?" Charles asked, remembering how he had thought that it was an excuse.

"Yes. I've only come back a couple of times. We've been going up to the Northern Marsh, it's a four day walk at least but on horse it's only two," Edmund said sighing, he seemed exhausted.

"How'd you hurt you arm?"

Edmund laughed, "I've been telling people it was the same way as you, in a fight with the wolves. Really, I had just woken up in the middle of the night with an itchy shoulder that was in a bad spot and used a knife to scratch it. Apparently I was too enthused."

Charles laughed, hard.

"No really, I had to have eight stitches in the middle of the night," here Edmund showed him the scar under the bandage.

"There was so much blood they thought I was going to pass out, we had to postpone for a day because I couldn't stand up properly anymore. I don't understand how it bled so much, honestly." Charles couldn't stop laughing.

"Glennstorm couldn't look at me for the next three days. I'd be talking to him during a serious meeting and he'd refuse to look at me so eventually I yelled at him, "by Aslan's mane General, have the decency to look at me or else go home." He still wouldn't look at me but he managed to tell me that he couldn't look at a man who was so idiotic as to have needed eight stitches because they had a small itch," Charles was trying to picture it, he'd never met the centaur but he'd read about him. The picture in his head was immensely funny.

"I sent him home and Caspian had to come out to replace him, but he was just as bad as Glennstorm so I had to send him home too. He couldn't stop laughing. It was humiliating. He'd stop for a good five minutes or so and then I'd pick something up the wrong way and yell in pain and he'd start up again." Charles very well thought that he was heading in the same direction as Caspian.

"That's when they sent Trumpkin. Apparently I can't be trusted alone anymore. Anyway, Trumpkin took one look at my shoulder, looked at me and then asked for a pay rise. Said if he had to deal with someone as foolish as me then he at least better be payed well for it. There wasn't any money left in the budget so I told him he could have half of what was left from my share of the treasure room. He said that there wasn't two silver trees to rub together in my treasury so I promised and a new title and knighthood. He's now Lord Regnant, Sir Trumpkin, Duke of Owlwood, Knight of The Noble Order Of The Silver Swords." Charles couldn't stop laughing, Edmund was so serious and his face was bitter.

"It's ridiculous, I know. At least he doesn't know that there is no Silver Swords knighthood. It's fake, I made it up, I should've a long time ago, it would have solved sooo many problems for me. The amount of lords that would have shut up if only I had given them a knighthood. I'd have bestowed it on Peter, just so he had to write out and extra nine words just to send a letter. All those balmy people wouldn't have sent letters if his title were that long. We would have halved paper consumption," Edmund was getting excited now at these new prospects, but all Charles could do was laugh.

"Ah well, with age comes wisdom. I was young back then," Edmund was smiling now, he could see how Charles had found humour in it.

There was a knock at the door, and Caspian emerged. His eyes widened when he saw the room, and he stared at the smashed pawn for sometime.

"Hello there Caspian," Edmund said warmly.

"I- I, what happened? You know what, never mind. What's this about DLF getting a new title?" Caspian asked, staring at a piece of paper.

"Oh, that. He included it in the letter did he?" Edmund seemed surprised, "haven't you heard? I'm giving them out for free now, left right and centre, really." Edmund laughed at his poor joke. "I do hope no one else is Duke of Owlwood. But you know what, you better have the knighthood too, he'll think it suspicious that he is the only one to have the knighthood."

"What?" Caspian frowned.

"Just, when you reply say that I knighted you when we were at sea, and that you were so drunk you had thought it were a dream until I reminded you the other day. It's fake of course, but no one knows that. Anyway, what is the news?"

Caspian took the option of just going along with Edmund, clearly these kind of conversations happened enough that Caspian just did as Edmund said. "He's planning on returning tomorrow morning, apparently there is no productivity without you there and Trumpkin isn't enough of a warrior to cause such productivity. There's been no sightings and he proposes that we do start tunnelling The How after all," Caspian said, handing Edmund the letter.

Caspian wondered over to Charles, "I didn't realise that it was you that the guards caught, sorry Charles. Had I known I would have gotten you out."

"It's okay," Charles said quietly.

"Hey, but good news, if Trumpkin says there have been no sightings then we should be able to send you home in a couple more days, assuming the door is still open that is," Caspian smiled warmly.

"It will be, there will be a trick to open it, Aslan didn't make it so it won't ever seal properly again, at least as the theory goes," Edmund said, handing the letter back to Caspian.

Caspian rolled his eyes, he too thought that Aslan had made the doorway.

Caspian took the letter and hovered near the door, "I'm off, I have some meetings with Lord Earwax," Edmund scowled here, "third time this month mind you, but I'll see you both at dinner. You can't skip it Edmund, I'm not doing this alone, especially since it was your suggestion," Caspian said before walking out.

"Oh yes, I forgot, we've got dinner tonight with some nobility, I'm going to present you as an Archenland Lord staying for a while, we don't want it getting out that there is another son of Adam from Earth here. Things could go badly," Edmund said bitterly, he really didn't want to go to dinner.

He took Charles then into a dressing room and began throwing clothes and advice at him, pretending that they hadn't just yelled at each other and his room wasn't destroyed, again. He'd moved on, and it was clear Edmund felt that Charles should move on too.


End file.
